Adjustable wrist watch spring bar



N. J. GUARNIERI} 2,916,791

ADJUSTABLE WRIST WATCH SPRING BAR Filed March 3, 1958 Nan o uarm'eri,

PIC/i? 6 INVIENQFOR 7 2,916,791 ADJUSTABLE WRIST WATCH SPRING-BAR Nunzio J. Guarnieri, New Orleans, La. Application March 3, 1958, Serial No. 718,752

, 3'Claims. c1. 24-265) The present invention relates to adjustable wrist watch spring bar and relates to a similarly entitled invention disclosed in my prior Patent 2,510,695, granted June 6, 1950. An object of the invention is to provide in a single form of spring bar an adjustable commodity that will fill all needs in that it may be adjusted and adapted to fit all of the watches now currently appearing on the market regardless of 'siZe and shape, such adjustability and adaptability being made in a ready and quick manner witha small expenditure of time and an inexpensive construction.

Another object of the'invention is to provide reversible pin-socket end pieces removably and reversibly mounted in separable telescoped end tubes of 'the improved spring bar to the end that the device may be adapted for male or female types of lugs on watch cases.

A still further object of the invention is to provide for the ready detachablity of the tube sections to permit opening of the spring bar for the purpose of accessibility to the pin-socket pieces whereby they may be readily reversed, and at'the same time to provide for a firm hold between the tubular sections of the device at all times when the same is in the position of use.

The invention also has for an object to provide an improved spring bar which is of initial maximum length to fit the largest size required but which is constructed of 'severable se ctions readily removable in order to reduce the length of the bar within required d'mensions.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto. 7 p p I In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure l is a side elevational view of an adjustable wrist watch spring bar constructed in accordance with the present inventionand showing the pins in the projected position.

'Figure 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the device as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is also a longitudinal sectional view taken through the device showing the pin-socket'end pieces reversed with the sockets in the projected position.

Figure 4 is an end view taken from the right end'of Figures 1 and 2,.

- Figure 5 is anend view taken from the right hand end of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is1an elevational View of a Watch case showing forms of male and female lugs.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 10 desig- Jnatesa receiving tube of some resilient or elastic material for instance sheet metal having an inturned flange 11 at its outer end and also an inturned-flange 12 at'its inner end.* The' flanges 11 and 12 are preferably of a generally triangular form in cross section having the "free inner edges ofzapex form.

A slit 13 is made in an axial direction at the inner endof the receiving tube 10, such slit 13 opening through such inner end of the tube '10 and allowing for the exaansibility and contraction of this end of the tube, it being understood that the tube is biased to acontracted conditionklosing the slot l3'incident'to the elastic stress inherent in the material of which the tube 10 is made.

pr 'Patented'Dec. 15, 1959 A'length tube '14 of smaller diameter is telescoped into the outer or receiving tube 10 and is slidable therein and has a snug fit within the tube 10 so that it becomes necessary to expand the tube 10 at the slitted portion 13 to permit introduction of the inner tube 14 thereinto, and

for this purpose the inner end of the inner tube 14 is beveled as shown at 15; the purpose of the bevel being to encounter the inturned flange 12 and to pry the same outwardly so that the flange 12 may clear the outer wall of the tube 14.

The inner tube 14 is formed with V-shaped annular grooves 16 occurring at spaced intervals along the length of the tube 14 and defining planes of weakness on which sections of the inner tube may be broken ofi in order to reduce the overall length of such tube 14. In its initial condition the tube 14 will be of maximum length and by to encounter the inturned flange 12 when the tubes are fitted together in order to spread and expand the slit end of the tube 10 to permit entering of the tubes together in a telescopic relation.

The outer end of the length tube 14 is provided with an inturned flange 17 which is also preferably of generally triangular cross section.

Reversible pin-socket end pieces 18 and 19 are pro videdfor fitting removably in the outer ends of the im- "proved spring bar. The end piece 18 is shown as slidably fitted in the tube 10 andvthe companion opposite end piece 19 is slidably fitted in the outer portion of the inner tube 14.

As the end pieces are each substantially identical in construction with the exception that the end piece 19 is slightly smaller in diameter than the opposite end piece 18, the parts of each end piece have been given similar reference numerals and a single description will sufiice for both.

Each end piece is'provided with a pin 20 and an open socket 21 surrounded by a cylindrical socket wall 22. A

central section 23 is included which is of substantially the same external diameter as the cylindrical socket wall 22 and is separated from the socket wall by a raised ring 24, 24" having shoulders 25 and 26 at opposite ends thereof adapted to abut against the inturned flanges 11, 17. "These shoulders 25 and 26 prevent the end pieces from being ejected outwardly of the spring bar. In

other words the shoulders 25, 26 in combination with the inturned flanges 11, 17 constitute stops for limiting the outer projecting movement of the end pieces 18 and 19.

A shoulder 27 is formed between the central section and the reduced trunnion or pin 20, which shoulder 27 is adapted to engage against the lugs of the watch case.

- A 'coilspring 28 is housed within the tubes 10 and 14 and is adapted to engage the end pieces 18 and 19 and exert axial thrust outwardly thereupon so as to move the shoulders 25, or 26 tightly against inturned flanges 11, 17. The coil spring however permits the end pieces 18 to be moved inwardly in the act of inserting such end pieces in the parts 'of the lugs of the watch case.

Referring more particularly to Figure 6, 29 designates aconventional watch'case having lugs 30 at one side thereof provided with pins 31, and lugs 32 at the other side of the case having holes 33.

In the use'o'f the device, the devices according to the invention 'will be provided to jewelers in the form illu'stratedin Figures 1 and 2, itbeing understood that they are of a maximum length.

The jeweler will apply the device to the watch case 29 by inserting the trunnions 20 in the holes 33. This is the male type or form of the spring bar. It might also be described as the regular spring bar.

However where pins 31 are provided in the lugs 30 of the watch case 29 the form of the device shown in Figure 3 will have to be arranged so that the sockets 21 are projecting in position to receive the lug pins 31. This is the female type of bar.

Comparing Figures 2 and 3 it will be noted that the end pieces 18 and 19 are relatively reversed so that in Figure 2 the trunnions 20 are outermost, whereas in Figure 3 the sockets 21 are in the projected position.

This reversal of the parts may readily take placeby separating the tubes and 14. This is done by grasp ing the tubes in separate hands and pulling the same apart in an axial direction, which will cause the inclined walls of the V-shaped grooves 16 to pry the triangular walls of the inturned flange 12 radially outward opening the slit 13 and placing the inner end of the elastic tube 10 under resilient stress. The tubes may thus be readily completely separated so that the coil spring 28 may be removed and the end pieces 18 and 19 shaken out of the now open inner ends of the two tubes. The end pieces are thereupon reversed and reinserted in the tubes with the sockets 21 outwardly, the spring 28 is replaced and the two tubes again fitted axially and telescopically together until the inner tube 14 is inserted a desired distance into the outer tube to give a desired overall length to the spring bar. At this point the flange 12 will be entered in one of the annular grooves 16 by a snapping action incident to the contractile elastic stress set up in the slit end of the outer tube 10.

It will be noted from Figure 2 that the terminal ends of the coil spring 28 engage against the end of the cylindrical socket wall 22, but in the rearrangement shown in Figure 3 the ends of the coil spring abut against the shoulders 27 while end convolutions of the spring surround the pins or trunnions 20.

The spring 28 can be shortened by snipping off to the necessary length with a pair of cutting pliers; or the spring may be made somewhat longer or tighter by simply stretching the spring in an axial direction to the required length.

When a shorter bar is needed the two tubes are simply moved axially together and when a longer spring bar is required the tubes 10 and 14 may be pulled out to the desired length.

The grooves 16 serve a dual purpose in that they provide for latching the two tubes in various positions of overall length and they also provide for breaking off sections of one or both tubes for the purposes of shortening the bar.

These grooves also provide extra strength in connection with the inturned flange 12 which pinches in the annular grooves maintaining the desired length. This extra strength is needed when a soft strap is used on a watch, which can come off easily when a side pull is applied on the strap, especially if said strap or metal band is not wide enough to fill the gap on the watch case.

The end pieces 18 and 19 also sub-serve a dual purpose in that the same can be reversed to provide either male or female connections.

Figure 6 shows two different types of watch cases; one the regular watch case (male), the other a watch case where a female spring bar is needed. The latter is required in very few instances but the master spring bar according to the present invention furnished to the jeweler enables him to adapt and accommodate such master to either the male or female requirements. The master spring bar also provides for very short or very long bars when the same are needed.

The invention provides in effect a spring bar for wrist watch cases that automatically can be adjusted to dif- ,ferent lengths and which also can be converted by a simple manual operation into a male or female spring bar that can also be adjusted to the desired length automatically once the conversion has been made.

With a. master spring bar according to the present invention a jeweler has on hand a complete stock of spring bars adapted to cover his needs automatically, simply and quickly, eliminating the need to hunt for the proper length spring bar or risking the loss of a sale by not having on hand a spring bar of the correct size or length. Jewelers are constantly running out of particular sizes and many sales are lost annually because stocks have become depleted. With a single form of master bar such as provided by the invention no sale need ever be lost so long as the jeweler has foresight to keep any supply of the master spring bars on hand.

Although I have disclosed herein the best form of the invention known to me at this time, I reserve the right to all such modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable spring bar for wrist watches comprising adjustable interfitted tubes having inturned flanges at their outer ends defining openings, and reversible end pieces each having portions of equal outside diameter, a ring separating said portions having an outside diameter greater than that of said portions and adapted to slide axially in their respective tubes with the protruding portion thereof passing through the respective opening with equal clearance, an expansion coil spring in the tubes, one of the said portions being provided with a socket having a wall whose thickness is sufiicient to engage the end of the spring, a reduced diameter pin on the other said portion forming therewith a shoulder adapted to engage an end of the spring with the pin entering the spring, the said portions having equal length so that the pressure exerted by the spring is the same regardless which end engages the spring for a given position of the tubes with respect to each other.

2. An adjustable spring bar for wrist watches as claimed in claim 13 in which the ring has opposed shoulders adapted to abut the flanges under expansive pressure of the spring.

3. An adjustable spring bar for wrist watches comprising adjustable interfitted tubes having inturned flanges at their outer ends defining openin s. an expansion coil spring within the tubes, and reversible end pieces comprising rings slidably fitted in the tubes and against the flanges as stops, socket p eces extending in one direction from the rings and of lesser outside diameter than the outside diameter of the rings and of the flanges to slide in the openings, central sections extending in the other direction from the rin s and also of lesser diameter than the outside diameter of the rings and of the flanges to slide in the openings. pins on the cent al sections of lesser outside diameter than the outside diameter of the central sections to provide shoulders therehetween, said socket pieces and central sect ons of each end piece being of substantially the same axial length and the shoulders and free ends of the socket pieces being of a diameter to abut the end convolutions of the spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 426,999 Lewis Apr. 29, 1890 474,252 Jackson May 3, 1892 2,507,701 Feiner et al May 16, i950 2,510,695 Guarnieri June 6, 1950 2,632,935 Coleman Mar. 31, 1953 2,827,213 Cornu Mar. 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,731 Great Britain 1905 125,540 Switzerland July 2, 1928 274,571 Switzerland July 2, 1951 580,467 France Sept. 1, 1924 

